


As without light nothing blooms

by orphan_account



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-05
Updated: 2013-01-05
Packaged: 2017-11-23 16:51:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/624411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma invites Regina to the celebration. Spec for 2x10 - "the cricket game"</p>
            </blockquote>





	As without light nothing blooms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sideofzen (Zenish)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zenish/gifts).



Regina likes working on her apple tree. It’s simple, and it clears her mind. The labor it takes also helps her from using magic. There is a little boy with two mothers that loves her better when she isn’t a monster. So she prunes, she harvests the fruit, and she doesn’t use magic.

Behind Regina there is a crinkling of leaves under a boot. It’s heavy, familiar, and alien to this yard all at the same time. “I take that pruning sheers and clogs matching are a complete accident.” Emma Swan’s voice hesitates from behind her.

“Sheriff Swan,” Regina brushes herself off, the leaves dancing idly to the ground. A small imperfection she will fix later. “How can I help you, Sheriff? I would have thought you would be out celebrating.”

“That’s actually what I’m here for,” Emma offered. “We’re having a get together tonight, you should come.”

"I'd rather not walk right into the lynch mob." Regina scowls.

"You know you aren't as bad as everyone thinks you are." Emma says defensively.

Regina sighs. "Miss Swan, that is a sweet sentiment but-" 

“No,” Emma cuts Regina off without hesitation. “Henry doesn’t hate you. You saved us. You brought Mary Margaret and me home when you didn’t have to. You could have left us there to rot.”

“I didn’t do it for you. You think they’ll forgive me because every now and then I happen to be kind?” Regina eyes the younger woman, searching her for a fear she doesn’t find.

“No, but you’ll do this for Henry.” Emma fires back unwavering in her stance. She is no quivering princess lost in a dream, she strands rigid and unmoving with the power of her mother.  
“I’ll consider it.” Regina says finally, carefully cleaning one of the apples she had been carrying idly with her thumb. 

“I owe you my life.” Emma exhales, “the least I could do is invite you to Granny’s for some tacos.”

“And if I say no?” Regina speaks carefully, expecting the young Sheriff to drag her by her hair screaming. It seems to be how most of their conversations go.

“You won’t.” Emma offers a smile, this is what she told herself when she walked here in the first place: “Henry would probably love to have all his family in one place, even if it’s just for tacos.”  
“I’m not your family.” Regina seethes.

“You’re his mother.” Emma hesitates, suddenly becoming fixated on the ground. She slowly speaks her shoulders rigid. Emma is always so guarded. A wall built upon brick and mortar of abandonment. There are cracks in the wall. “I…” she begins slowly, choosing her words. “I gave birth to him but for ten years of his life you were there bandaging his knees, reading him stories before bed. His blood may be mine, but you are his mother.”

Regina wonders how much it must have killed her to say that. Her eyes are blue, startling so. “Fine.” She says simply with purpose.

“It should be about 7:30PM at Granny’s.” Emma gives her a kind smile, it’s soft and broken but it’s there.

“I may run a little late.” Regina shrugs.

“That’s fine, I’ll bring Henry after school to the library he has some project…” Emma looks lost for a moment.

“For science.” Regina finishes. 

“Right.” Emma shrugs and begins to turn away. She stops for a moment and looks back at Regina by her tree. There are leaves on the ground and dirt on her shirt. “Thanks.”

Without another word Emma trudges off with her heavy boot steps. She wonders what this girl would have been like if the world hadn’t changed. She wonders if the Princess Emma would be filled with walls and corridors that hide things deep within. She shrugs, it’s another world and another time that won’t come.

She turns back to the tree to finish pruning. On the smallest branch, barely out of her reach she notices a small bloom. It’s tiny and out of season but there it is all the same.


End file.
